Up to 2,000 Estonians visited the Zalgirio arena to witness Maik Kotsar and Sander Raieste's performances, and their presence did not disappoint.
Friday's game wasn't the usual sold-out night at Zalgirio arena.
Plenty of blue color, some rarely seen flags, and a language you don't hear every day.
Up to 2,000 Estonians made a trip to Lithuania as Zalgiris Kaunas hosted Cazoo Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, while all the hotels in Kaunas were fully booked.
So, what's all the hype about?
The explanation is quite simple. Two Estonians, Maik Kotsar and Sander Raieste represent Baskonia, so for all those fans, it was the best opportunity to see their countrymen in live EuroLeague action.
And they didn't need to wait for long. Kotsar scored his first points inside two minutes in the game after making a hook shot over Kevarrius Hayes.
However, the most electrifying moment came in the second quarter. The Estonian big set a pick for Darius Thompson and finished the play with a strong dunk, giving Baskonia a 2-point lead.
Plenty of Estonian fans rose from their seat either to cheer loudly for Kotsar or wave Estonia's flag.
A few seconds later, Rolands Smiths answered with a 3-pointer, giving a reason for Zalgiris fans to roar and provide their own answer for the visiting guests from Estonia.
Such a friendly rivalry between the Estonian and Lithuanian fans was going on throughout basically the whole game.
Whenever Kotsar or Raieste made a successful play, Estonians gladly cheered, while Zalgiris fans were waiting for their opportunity to show why the atmosphere in Kaunas receives such high praise.
Mind you, friendly rivalry are two key words here. The Estonians were definitely welcome in Kaunas.
During one of the timeouts, Zalgirio arena's announcer addressed Estonians in the Estonian language, saying that they are welcome, while most of the fans inside the arena gladly cheered for their Baltic neighbors.
Inside the arena, you could see Lithuanians and Estonians discussing about the game or making plans of what they are going to do when the final buzzer sounds.
It was that wholesome vibe that everyone talks about when saying that basketball or any other sport unites people.
And most importantly, the game itself delivered. Zalgiris and Baskonia battled until the last seconds, with hosts edging the Spanish club 79-75.
However, for Kotsar and the Estonians that came to see him, it was a great night. Baskonia's forward finished the game with 12 points (5/7 2PT, 2/2 FT), 3 rebounds, 4 drawn fouls, and 14 PIR.
"I knew that people [from Estonia] were coming, but they were extremely loud and supportive," Kotsar told BasketNews after the game. "Thank you to them for coming. It felt great. It was great playing in front of them."
Meanwhile, Raieste was even more open, saying that it was the best atmosphere he had played in since the EuroBasket 2022.
"My heart was warm," Raieste told the Estonian media. "No game has had such a home game feeling since Milan [Estonia played their EuroBasket group games in Italy]. Very, very nice that so many Estonians came."
"Me, my family, and parents were here. Yesterday I saw Kristian Kullamae [Lietkabelis Panevezys guard]. It was nice to see Estonians and speak Estonian," added the Baskonia guard.
Interestingly, Kotsar scored the last Baskonia's points of the game. The Estonian forward made a layup with 2:51 left in the game and gave Baskonia a 2-point lead. However, Zalgiris finished the game on a 6-0 run and snapped a 3-game losing streak.
It wasn't a great offensive night for Baskonia. The Spanish team couldn't score in the last 3 minutes of the game, while 75 points was their third-lowest mark in this season's EuroLeague.
"We scored only 2 points in the last 3 minutes. It's pretty difficult to win a close game if you don't score in the crucial moments of the game," Baskonia head coach Joan Penarroya said.
"In the last quarter, Zalgiris used switch defense against Markus Howard and Darius Thompson in 1-on-1 situations or to find a ball in the low post on mismatch situations that are not high-percentage shots," Penarroya explained in more detail what led to his team's loss.
Even though Baskonia lost, it's safe to say that Estonians saw what they were expecting when they made their trip to Kaunas – a solid performance from at least one of their countrymen, a great atmosphere, and a superb game.
And believe me, Estonians were visible, too.
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